Monitoring and controlling environment

This website explains what Spectral Power Distribution is and how it can be used as a comparator to evaluate the efficiency and impact of different light sources. This is an excellent resource for any museum wishing to understand the environmental and conservation impact of different light sources or considering a move to LED lighting.

This presentation sets out the National Trust’s approach to energy efficiency in historic properties, including detailed examples and techniques taken from current management and conservation practice.

Temperature and relative humidity are essential elements of collections care. This guide assesses the affects of temperature and humidity on items, examines how they affect one another and provides tips for creating a stable and controlled museum environment.

Museum objects require a certain kind of environment, which includes an atmosphere free of dust and pollutants. This fact sheet from describes basic types of air pollution: acidic and oxidising subtances; particulate pollutants, and how to protect museum collections from damage caused by them.

The life expectancy of collections is significantly affected by the environmental conditions in which they are stored. This booklet provides guidance on environmental management to help you preserve your books and documents for as long as possible. It concentrates specifically on temperature and relative humidity.

Museums must record changes in the environment within their buildings in order to gauge the level of environmental stress to which objects are subjected. The aim of these guidelines is to help museums make the most of the environmental data they collect.

This leaflet aims to help librarians and archivists working in a historic setting to manage preservation projects and achieve results. It focuses mainly on the environmental problems common in historic buildings and outlines ways of tackling these which have been distilled from research into the library, archive and museum preservation literature.

Mould causes irreversible physical and chemical damage to collections and presents a significant health hazard. This booklet offers outlines environmental control and storage factors that should be considered in order to prevent mould outbreaks as well as how to deal with outbreaks should they occur in your collections.

Preventive measures can considerably extend the useful life of collections, and are usually much more cost-effective than interventive measures taken to remedy damage after deterioration has taken place. This publication outlines external causes of deterioration of collections, including poor handling or storage, theft or vandalism, fire and flood, pests, pollution, light and incorrect temperature and relative humidity, and indicates the preventive measures that should be taken.

The use of plant and flower materials in museums is growing in popularity as they are increasingly opened for special events, entertaining, and to decorate permanent displays. This fact sheet outlines notes on managing risk and the prevention of damage to museum objects from pest infestation, pollen staining and from localised increase in humidity as well as scratches and chips from flower pots or containers placed on museum objects.

CAT was originally designed by the Scottish Museums Council as a tool to help museum staff and conservators to better assess collection condition and use the information generated more effectively. Its features allow non-conservators to undertake basic assessments of collection condition with a little basic training and the agreement of the meaning of terms.

Temperature and relative humidity are essential elements of collections care. This advice sheet describes the equipment available, how it should be used, checked and cared for and what the results of monitoring might tell you.

Monitoring light and ultraviolet radiation in a museum is an important part of environmental management. This advice sheet introduces the basics of monitoring light and ultraviolet radiation and describes the available equipment (light meters, ultraviolet meters, combined lux and UV meters, dosimeters, data-loggers, telemetric sensors and hard-wired systems), how to look after it, maintain it and use it to best effect.

Hygrometers are used to measure relative humidity, an environmental risk that can directly affect the preservation of museum objects. In this short video from SHARE Museums East, conservator Juliane Ovenden demonstrates how to calibrate a dial hygrometer.

Thermohygrographs are used to measure temperature and relative humidity, both environmental risks which can directly affect the preservation of museum objects. In this short film from SHARE Museums East, conservator Juliane Ovenden demonstrates how to calibrate a thermohygrograph.

Environmental monitoring refers to the measurement and recording of environmental risks such as light, relative humidity, temperature and pollution. Environmental monitoring requires a knowledge of the factors to be monitored and the ways in which monitoring can be carried out and recorded.

This syllabus provides a framework for designing a practical course in the care of museum collections. It describes the activities which form the basis of curatorial knowledge and expertise in collections care and encourages a pragmatic approach. It can be used by anyone designing collections care courses for entry level learners.

This advice sheet defines the concept of environmental monitoring in museums and explains why it is important. It illustrates the importance of making notes and keeping records as an investment in future planning.